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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. roll — a list
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wax — to grow
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. suit — clothes
  13. key — in music
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. roll — a cake
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wax — for sculpting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com